Pentagon: Ukrainian drone strikes led to a 14 per cent drop in production at russia's refineries and a significant increase in the cost of fuel domestically
Since the beginning of 2024, Ukraine's special services have launched a campaign to disable critical facilities at russian oil refineries.
These facilities generate a significant part of the aggressor country's revenues, provide the population with fuel and enable the invasion war in Ukraine.
Strikes on refineries and oil depots have already become commonplace, Ukrainian drones are flying further and further into russia and recently even set a record by hitting a critical catalytic cracking unit at a refinery in the city of Salavat (Bashkiria), 1,500 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.
Here's What We Know
ThePentagon has published a report to the US Congress indicating that Ukrainian drone strikes have led to a 14% drop in production from russia's oil refining complexes.
The consequence was a 20-30% increase in domestic fuel prices and a six-month ban on petrol exports. In addition, the petrol pumping country is forced to export petroleum products from Kazakhstan and Belarus, which was unimaginable just six months ago.
A number of the twenty refineries damaged by Ukrainian drones produced, among other things, diesel fuel and fuel oil, which are used directly in military equipment. Unfortunately, the Pentagon has yet to see any critical damage to Russian military hardware, but Ukrainian drones are hitting more accurately and further away, and the attacks are becoming more and more massive.
It is worth noting that the targets of Ukrainian attacks are not just fuel storage facilities, but unique equipment that is produced by only a few companies in the world and the sale of which is under close control and severe sanctions, and neither Russia nor its allies can replace the damaged equipment on their own.
In addition, Russia's declining refining capacity leads to more crude oil, which in turn leads to lower global prices for black gold, which also hits the ability of the terrorist country to enrich itself.
Source: Pentagon
